When Cactus Smiles

Scene 1 : Hindi Movie – Hero is very sad, singing a sad song, all around him are Cactus plants. Camera is showing cactus plants every now and then. Director wants to convey deep sorrow and sadness in hero’s life.

Scene 2 : Ramoji Film City, Hyderbad – We are taking the guided the tour. The guide is showing various landscape gardens. Beautiful gardens based on various themes. And then he makes special announcement. “Look on your right side. This is the sad garden.” Garden and sad? Screamed my heart inside. The guide went on to tell, “see the Cactus plants all over. This is the place where all sad songs, sad scenes are picturised.”

My mind was not into the names of the movies that he was rattling that had picturised the songs and scenes in those gardens.

My heart was thinking about Cactus. Why one type of plant is associated with sadness. What that plant must be thinking about such association. As a living thing it also has emotions and it also must be going through happiness, sadness, joy all kinds of feelings.

I found myself standing in front of one of the Cactus plants. That plant understood my question, my thinking. It was talking to me.

“Sachin, when the mankind associated me with sadness, I went to the God. I asked God, Why Oh God, why? Why you chose me to represent sadness in the world.” God looked at me and gave me a smile. I felt even more sad. I Thought even God is giving me sarcastic smile. But I listened further.

God said, “man has to face both happiness and sadness in life. One appreciates the happiness in life when one encounters the pain of life. I want man to just look at you and understand the pain, sadness and thus appreciate the joy in life. This way I hope he would learn to be more happy without actually having to feel the pain. So my dear Cactus you have a special task to do. I have made you to remind people of sorrow and sadness. You are doing an important work. You end up making man happy. “

Sachin that was a very interesting read…..honestly its sad that cactus is associated with sorrow and also bad luck……and i often wondered how can you blame a plant if your day doesn’t go right…..what does the poor plant got to do with it ……and yes i strongly agree with you…..every one in this world has come with a purpose…..even a cactus!!!!!!

This is very true. Every person / every thing that GOD has created has a taks cut out to do. Its only we the SMART human beings who take a long time to understand and on many occassions don;t even understand.

I am really glad that you tried interpreting the reason of happiness of Cactus. your ability to speak to the most difficult of the plant only shows your ability to walk through difficult situations and your ability to deal with the difficult challenges in life.